


Taking the Plunge

by Enterthetadpole



Category: rhink - Fandom
Genre: Falling In Love, Love Confessions, M/M, Podfic Available
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-16
Updated: 2019-08-16
Packaged: 2020-09-02 06:00:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 938
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20271106
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Enterthetadpole/pseuds/Enterthetadpole





	Taking the Plunge

On May 16, 2019, Link decided to destroy his life.

It would be done on the way back home after taping the show. Link would be driving because it was Thursday, and Link always drove during Thursday carpool. This would give Link the time he needed to make sure that everything was perfect. Rhett would be relaxed and ready for the weekend. There would be smooth sounds of Merle Haggard playing in the background and Link would have control of the car door locks. Just in case Rhett panicked and tried to do a last minute tuck and roll. Not that his back problems would make that kind of escape the best idea, but it made sense for Link to consider all of the possible outcomes.

This was to be a slow and subtle suicide. An emotional death. The type that involved stepping out to the edge of the world, opening your ribs until they cracked and splintered like driftwood, and then falling into the arms of someone who you weren't exactly sure would break your fall. It isn't everyday that you fall deeply, madly and hopelessly in love with your best friend of 35 years. Yet that's what occurred. And that's just not something you mention over morning cups of lukewarm coffee. So after weeks of intense self reflection, sleepless nights and on two occasions, full blown panic attacks, it was settled. Charles Lincoln Neal the Third needed to be with Rhett James McLaughlin until old age took them to their graves. More than likely that would be Rhett first. He was technically older anyway.

And so with this pending confession, Link's life as he knew it would be destroyed. No matter how Rhett reacted, you can't unring that bell. Link's admission would hang in between them for the rest of time. A heart dangling on the end of a string instead of a carrot. Link wasn't even able to tell when he actually _had_ fallen in love with Rhett. Even after hours and hours of scrutiny and replays that could rival the JFK assassination, Link only had grasped straws of speculation. He did however know when he felt the first wave of something much more than _brotherly_ affection.

They had both been eating crow. And yes the irony of the situation had not been lost on Link. The episode had focused around old sayings and idioms, and making actual food representations of them. Some of them were very straightforward like_ a bad egg_ and _a rotting apple_. The puke buckets were grabbed and the laughter of the crew _mostly_ drowned out the retching heaves. Then there were the more clever entries, where _a smart cookie_ was an inspired blend of cow brains and Flintstones vitamins. Rhett actually got that one down.

Link had not.

It was during the next round of generous amount of crow meat in pie crust that Link stomach lurched again. But this time had nothing to do with the food. Rhett was sitting in his chair he usually did, with his bearded face in profile and cracking a joke when Link's brain came to the undeniable conclusion that Rhett was what he wanted. That Rhett was the only person who made sense inside of his heart. Then Rhett turned towards him, and Link froze. Went so silent that the taping had to stop, and had to be finished the following day.

Eventually Link had come up with an excuse to play it off, and only Rhett seemed to not fully believe him. That was fine. Link had other ways of avoiding the dark green gaze. Texts were unread. Phone calls ignored and although a certain 6'7 giant might have made an appearance at Link's front door once or twice in the last few weeks; it didn't mean anything. It just as well have been the wind that just happened to yell in the voice of his very stubborn best friend.

Besides, the three weeks had not just been about dodging the love of his life. Link was busy doing projects to prove that he was absolutely not having a sexual identity crisis. These projects included reading books and searching online about different orientations. Then there was the weekend of raging heterosexuality to be followed by the barrage of STD tests.

It was in the last couple of days that Link had decided that he needed to tell Rhett. Because fuck all of these hidden feelings and walled off thoughts. Fuck only moaning Rhett's name in his empty bed of there even the slightest chance that it could be something more. Or even if it couldn't, at least his life could move forward, and not be stuck in this desperate place. Rhett could forgive his love. Link knew that.

So on May 16, 2019 Link decided to destroy his life. The warm California sun hitting Rhett's hair and skin so perfectly that he practically glowed. The Merle Haggard songs flowed from his lips like they were meant for him to harmonize. If this was the end of Link's life, it was fine. He had a good run, and made some wonderful memories with the long legged man in the passenger seat beside him.

The car slowed down on a side street just a block from Rhett's house. There was no need for a tuck and roll if it went in the worse case scenario. Link even turned off the child locks off.

"You know my house is up the street right?"

Link nodded, and inhaled. Then exhaled. Rhett's expression fluttered into dawning understanding, and Link opened his mouth, and jumped off the edge.


End file.
